


Spirit of the Storm

by OfficeLady



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Romance, F/F, Mermaids, Romance, Slice of Life, Urban Fantasy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-22
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:33:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22264165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OfficeLady/pseuds/OfficeLady
Summary: Ruby Rose has always enjoyed nature, especially the magic that comes from exploring the jungle and the sea. After her mother died, she longed to find something to fill in that emptiness. When she encounters a mermaid named Weiss with untold powers who has been taught to mistrust humans and everything associated with them, Ruby seeks to befriend her and earn her trust. However, she soon learns the true meaning of what it means to be close to a mermaid.
Relationships: Ruby Rose/Weiss Schnee
Comments: 9
Kudos: 59





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I joined a WR discord and was requested to try and write a White Rose fic. I haven't written anything for years for the fandom so this is my attempt. I hope you enjoy. Comments and suggestions are welcomed and appreciated. Thank you for your time!

Ruby Rose watched in secret delight as the two mermaids splashed about in the lagoon. The rocky ledge she was laying upon was well hidden among the palm trees and provided her a shady and safe view of the area below it. She had found this small lagoon one day while she was surveying the coast of the new island her family had moved to and was amazed to find such a beautiful retreat from the demands of the city. After losing her mother, Summer, in a ship accident, she found nature as her only true solace. Sure, her sister Yang always made sure that she knew she was loved, and she enjoyed their weekly excursions into the city, but it was when she was alone in the jungles of the island that she inexplicably felt herself drawn to most. And that is how she found this secret paradise. The mermaids were just a bonus.

Although she used to think they were just the stuff of fairy tales, something her mother just wanted to share with her as a means to try to get her to sleep before bed, she remembered how her mother said she had befriended a mermaid when she was a child. How it took a while for them to be trusting, but when she did, they swore to be friends for life and would have each other’s backs. 

* * *

_“She even saved me from drowning, the first time I met her.” Her mother had said one day while they were walking along the beach one afternoon._

_“But why, mom? I thought they liked to drown people?”_

_Ruby watched her mother frown and sigh as she shook her head. She gazed over the ocean before looking back down at Ruby._

_“That’s just what evil people say because they’re jealous. To have the friendship and trust of a mermaid is a powerful thing, Ruby. Such a bond…I cannot describe what it means to have but its almost as if you are connected and can sense each other’s feelings and thoughts. You feel the world in a way you’ve never felt it before. It’s both wonderful…and painful, at times.”_

_“What happened to your friend, mom?” Ruby asked._

_Summer knelt down in front of Ruby and showed her some jagged scars on her hands._

_“An evil man was trying to capture her and her family. I tried to stop him but got hurt in the process. She saved my life and got away but I felt her pain, her sadness. And then she disappeared. It was like losing a part of my soul. I couldn’t feel her anymore. And a couple of months later, someone left a pile of shells I recognized were ones we collected. I never saw a mermaid again.” Ruby hugged her. Summer squeezed her back tightly and pulled away, standing up as she faced the setting sun. The wind blew gently around them and in the distance, one could hear some whales singing._

_“So, if I meet a mermaid, how do we become friends?” Ruby said as she picked up a few shells._

_Summer smiled and ruffled her hair._

_“Let her come to you.”_

* * *

Ruby smiled at the memory. It was one of the last ones she could still remember clearly of her mother before she died. Her musings were interrupted when she heard a giant splash and saw the elder of the two mermaids laughing atop the lone rock in the middle of the water at the younger, where she had been sunbathing only moments before. Ruby took out a sketch book from her knapsack and began to sketch out the scene before her. The younger of the two started tying up her long white hair with a leather band that Ruby noticed had seen better days. And then she had an idea. She took out her scroll and browsed on a website that sold some small accessories, thinking that maybe she could leave something behind for the mermaids to make her presence known. She glanced up every once in a while as the mermaids played, smiling every so often as she tried to picture them wearing something she got for them.

Ruby was so engrossed with her scroll that she didn’t notice how her surroundings had become quiet. Suddenly, she sneezed and was snapped out of her reverie. She froze. The mermaids were motionless; they seemed to be watching her or at least, listening out for her, tilting their heads every so often and would mutter something in their language. Their words sounded ominous. They couldn’t see her in the brush, could they? A gust of wind came out of nowhere and nearly threw her off her platform. Ruby pressed herself down on the ledge, trying to keep herself from being blown away and to make sure she was still hidden. Too late she realized that the gust had also snatched her sketchbook away and was crestfallen as it dropped into a puddle of mud below her.

 _Well, that’s ruined._ She thought dejectedly. _But a storm? The weather report said it was going to be sunny all week._

Ruby waited till the wind died down a bit and slowly peeked back over the ledge. The mermaids were gone. It seemed high tide had come in early due to the changing weather. She felt a wetness drop on her face and found herself caught in experiencing a torrent of rain.

 _Great_.

She grabbed her bag and leapt off of the ledge to the ground below, splashing mud all over herself. 

_Double great._

Ruby looked out toward the lagoon, hoping that she hadn’t truly scared off the mermaids. Despite the growing roar of the rain, she heard a muted pinging sound come from her scroll. She pulled it out briefly and couldn’t help but grin.

“Well, mom,” She said as she put her scroll back into the bag. “Wish me luck.” As she turned to make her way home, she did not notice a pale hand poke its way through a nearby bush and snatch her sketchbook before disappearing into the foliage once more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was ridiculously hard to write. I listened to some songs by the composer Joe Hisaishi to help though. I'm still not satisfied with it, but maybe I'll go back later to revise it sometime. I hope you enjoy!

“Hey Yang, did my package from _Grimzy_ come in?” Ruby asked her sister from the top of her bunk bed, lazily looking at her scroll.

It had been four days since Ruby had last gone to the lagoon. The surprise typhoon had kept the whole city on lock-down. The hard tapping of the rain still did not seem to want to let up, and she was getting anxious. She couldn’t help but feel the terrible weather was her fault somehow. She hoped the mermaids were doing ok. Being in her house day after day was driving her crazy, but at least it gave her some time to go over her notes on what she knew about the mermaids.

As far as she could tell, they were siblings. They both appeared to be at least as old as herself, in their twenties, but according to the various books she found about the creatures, they could live for decades and never age. Supposedly it was one of the reasons they were aggressively hunted by humans. Another thing she read about was that eating the flesh of a mermaid would give one vitality and slow down aging. Just the idea of hurting a creature that looked even remotely human for such gains was beyond her. No wonder they were so rare to see. She would stay away from humans too if that’s all they wanted from her.

“But!” she said aloud. “I’m going to prove to them that I just want to be friends. Right, Zwei?”

Her dog barked in agreement at her from his dog bed and jumped up onto the windowsill, whining as he looked at the rain and her sadly.

“Yea, I know boy. It sucks. But they’ll probably be fine. They are water spirits after all.”

“You still thinking about those over-sized water fish, Sis?” Yang came into the room, yawning and stretching by the doorway. Ruby scowled.

“They’re not fish. They’re—”

“Yea, yea. I know. I’m just messing with you.” Yang chuckled as she jumped up and rested her torso on Ruby’s bunk and smiled at her. “And here.”

Yang handed her a small package. Ruby squealed in delight.

“Yes! Finally!”

She ripped open the packaging, and she and Yang looked at the item in question. It was a polished steel pendant with a tear drop stone colored a deep blood red.

“A necklace, Ruby? _Really_?” Yang looked at her skeptically and looked more closely at the piece.

“Well!” Ruby said, face reddening slightly. “Mom said her friend liked shiny things so…”

She carefully picked up the pendant and put it into a small leather pouch and hung it around her neck.

“Didn’t you say there were two of them?” Yang asked as she moved and sat down on the lower bunk, taking out her scroll and began playing a game on it. “Why didn’t you get two?”

“Yea but I don’t think the older one will like it.” Ruby jumped off the bed and began changing out of her pajamas, putting on her raincoat and boots. “The younger…sister, or I think it’s her sister, they both look so much alike, will bring her little things she made out of seaweed and pretty shells or rocks, and the older one always smiles and take them but leaves them behind on their rock and let the water take them away.”

Yang looked up at Ruby briefly and frowned before going back to her game.

“Don’t tell me you’re going outside after all? They said the weather might get worse again.”

“I mean, it’s not that far. I can get here quickly if it rains again.” Ruby checked over herself and made sure she secured her knapsack closed tightly.

“Yea, covered in mud again.” Yang snickered.

“It was just one time!” Ruby pouted. “Besides, I’m just worried about them.” She looked outside the window, and it seemed as if the rain turned to a light drizzle.

“They’re fish, Ruby. They’ll be fine.” Yang waved her hand absentmindedly, silencing Ruby before she could retort. “Well, just be careful and ping me a picture when you get there. I bet that lagoon is even more pretty in this kind of weather. Blake will like it.”

“Yea, yea.” Ruby said, clutching the bag around her neck. “Bye Zwei. Be good!”

Zwei barked and watched as Ruby left the room. He jumped up onto the windowsill in time to see disappear into the bushes and whined, looking at Yang, who looked out the window and sighed.

“Yea, go ahead boy. Keep an eye on her but stay quiet. We don’t wanna ruin her chances with the fishes.” Yang chuckled before turning back to her phone.

* * *

“Wow, Yang was right. This place looks gorgeous.”

Ruby was back on top of her hiding place, standing up and admiring the view and took a shot with her scroll. Rain was falling upon the area, creating a soothing atmosphere. A few birds were out singing during the quiet lull of the weather and also enjoying the peace. The surrounding area was rich in its earthly reds, greens, and browns. She took a deep breath and enjoyed the scents of the jungle mixing with the ocean, small puffs of her breath permeating the cold air as she exhaled quietly. She looked toward the formation at center of the lagoon and thought she saw something flash at its base.

_Huh. I wonder what that is._

It was low tide so she could easily wade over there and check it out. As Ruby made to leave the ledge, she hesitated for moment. Since the birds were still singing, nothing dangerous was in the immediate vicinity, but she was still a bit wary. She strained to listen for anything that might sound out of the ordinary but the quiet roar of nature was the only reply given. She shrugged and jumped down.

_Oh wait._

She took out her scroll and sent it to her sister with the words, _Gorgeous view, Sis! Let’s bring Blake next time it rains._

Smiling, she put away her scroll and began making her way to the edge of the pool. It seemed the weather had removed all traces of the mermaids’ previous visits, such as the empty shells and fish bones from the various creatures they would sometimes eat. Ruby placed her knapsack inside a nearby crevice that gave it some protection from the rain before returning to her prior spot.

As she walked into the water, she noticed with dismay that it was actually a bit deeper than she had anticipated and soon found herself waist deep in water once she reached the middle of the pool. She bent her head down, looking at her reflection and saw it was distorted by the still gently falling rain. And then something flashed and caught her eye again.

_Wait, is that a—?_

Suddenly, the air dropped and everything was quiet; even the rain had stopped. Before Ruby could react, a giant tidal wave smashed into her and sucked her down into the water. She struggled to reach the surface and managed to grab onto the rock formation and climb her way toward the top but another wave slammed against her body and pulled her back down, swirling her for a bit before throwing her against the rock. Ruby felt a sharp stab of pain streak through her head, and her vision turned red. She could feel her strength leaving her and could not breathe; the water was taking her further away from the surface despite her struggles. Everything was starting to feel light. She knew she should keep trying but her body just felt so heavy and tired. She slowly closed her eyes and began to feel warm, almost like when her mother used to hold her before bed.

_I’m sorry, Mom. But at least I’ll see you soon._

She opened her eyes once more and was vaguely surprised to see a pair of glowing blue eyes looking into her own; they were glaring at her accusingly and seemed angry. But nothing mattered anymore except that she would be with her mother soon, so she smiled at them, and then everything faded to black.


End file.
